Elvis’s father was found guilty of altering a cheque and was imprisoned. The family lost their home and Elvis and his mother moved in with relatives.

1941 (September)

Elvis began his education at East Tupelo Consolidated school.

1945 (3rd October)

Elvis entered a singing contest. He sang the song ‘Old Shep’ and came 5th in the competition.

1946 (8th January)

Elvis was given a guitar for his birthday and began guitar lessons.

1946 (September)

Elvis began attending Milam School. He found it difficult to make friends and played his guitar at lunchtimes rather than mix with other pupils.

1948 (November)

Elvis and his family moved to Memphis Tennessee.

1948 (November)

Elvis began attending L c Humes High School.

1950 (during)

Elvis began practising guitar with his neighbour, Lee Denson.

1950 (September)

Elvis took a part time job as a theatre usher at Loews State Theatre.

1953 (April)

Elvis entered a singing competition, Humes’s Annual Minstrel show, where he performed the song ‘Till I Waltz Again With You’. He became very popular after his performance.

1953 (June)

Elvis left school.

1953 (August)

Elvis paid Sun Records to record a double-sided record ‘My Happiness’ and ‘That’s When Your Heartaches Begin’. Elvis claimed that he wanted to record the disc as a present for his mother but it is more likely that he recorded it in the hopes of being signed by the record label.

1954 (January)

Elvis paid for a second record to be made by Sun Records. ‘I’ll Never Stand in Your Way/It Wouldn’t Be The Same Without You’.

1954 (February)

Elvis auditioned for a quartet called the Songfellows but they turned him down.

1954 (April)

Elvis started working as a truck driver at Crown Electric.

1954 (June)

Sam Phillips of Sun Records asked Elvis Presley to record a ballad but it did not suit his style. Philips then asked Elvis to sing something he liked and afterwards offered him a recording session the following month.

1954 (5th July)

Elvis went to Sun Records for the recording session. He played with Winfield ‘Scotty’ Moore and Bill Black. The evening was not a success but just before leaving Elvis began playing ‘That’s All Right’ and Scotty and Bill joined in. Sam Philips liked the song and played it on the radio the same night.

1954 (17th July)

Presley, Moore and Black played live at the Bon Air Club.

1954 (19th July)

Elvis Presley’s first single, ‘That’s All Right’ was released.

1954 (late July)

Presley, Moore and Black played at the Overton Park Shell where Slim Whitman was headlining the concert. Elvis first performed his famous leg shaking movements.

1954 (September)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Good Rockin’ Tonight’.

1954 (November)

Elvis Presley performed on the US TV programme Louisiana Hayride. The producers of the show signed Presley to appear every Saturday for the following year.

1954 (28th December)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘You’re a Heartbreaker’.

1955 (January)

Elvis signed Bob Neal as his manager.

1955 (February)

Elvis went on tour as support to Hank Snow, a popular country singer.

1955 (10th April)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Baby Let’s Play House’. It reached number 5 in the US country singles charts.

1955 (October)

Presley, Moore, Black and new drummer Fontana, played as support to Bill Haley.

1955 (21st November)

Presley signed a record deal with RCA.

1956 (27th January)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Heartbreak Hotel’. It reached number 1 in the US charts and number 2 in the UK charts.

1956 (28th January)

Elvis appeared on the television programme ‘Stage Show’. The first of six appearances.

1956 (2nd March)

Bob Neal was sacked as Presley’s manager and replaced by music promoter Tom Parker.

1956 (March)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ which reached number 20 in the US charts.

1956 (23rd March)

Elvis released his debut album ‘Elvis’. It reached number 1 in the US and UK album charts.

1956 (3rd April)

Elvis Presley appeared on the show Texaco Star Theater, broadcast aboard the USS Hancock .

1956 (May)

Elvis toured the American midwest. His cover of ‘Hound Dog’ originally by Big Mama Thornton, was used to close his shows and was very well received.

1956 (12th May)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘I Want You, I Need You, I Love You’. It reached number 3 in the US charts.

1956 (5th June)

Presley appeared on the television show ‘The Milton Berle Show’. His shaking and hip movements drew strong criticism from TV critics. Nevertheless, his appearances on the show attracted huge audiences and he began to be called the King of Rock and Roll.

1956 (16th June)

Elvis Presley appeared on the TV show Teenage Dance Party.

1956 (1st July)

Elvis Presley appeared on the TV interview show Hy Gardner Calling.

1956 (1st July)

Elvis Presley appeared on the TV show The Steve Allen Show.

1956 (13th July)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ with ‘Hound Dog’ as the B Side. It reached number 1 in the US where it remained for 11 weeks.

1956 (early August)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)’. The single ‘Tryin’ to Get to You’ was released around the same time.

1956 (31st August)

Elvis Presley released the double A-sided single ‘Blue Moon’/’Just Because’. It reached number 55 in the US.

1956 (8th September)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’. On the same day he released ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ which reached number 20 in the US charts.

1956 (9th September)

Presley appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show attracting an audience of 60 million viewers.

1956 (28th September)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Love Me Tender’ it reached number 1 in the US charts.

1956 (19th October)

Presley released his second album ‘Elvis’ also known as ‘Elvis Presley 2’. It reached number 1 in the US and number 3 in the UK charts.

1956 (28th October)

Presley made a second appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

1956 (15th November)

Presley’s first film ‘Love Me Tender’ was released. Due to Elvis’s popularity the film makers added four musical numbers to the film.

1956 (4th December)

Presley made a visit to Sun Records and played an informal session with Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. Due to copyright infringements the session could not be released for 25 years but became known as the ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ recording.

1957 (4th January)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Too Much’. It reached number 1 in the US charts.

1957 (6th January)

Presley made a third appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

1957 (19th March)

Elvis Presley purchased Graceland, a mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

1957 (22nd March)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘All Shook Up’. It reached number 1 in the US charts where it remained for 8 weeks.

1957 (11th June)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear’. It reached number 1 in the US charts where it remained for 7 weeks.

1957 (1st July)

Elvis Presley released the album ‘Loving You’ which was the soundtrack for his second film. It reached number 1 in the US and UK charts.

1957 (9th July)

Elvis played the lead in the film ‘Loving You’ which was released by Paramount Pictures.

1957 (24th September)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Jailhouse Rock’. It reached number 1 in the US charts and number 42 in the UK.

1957 (15th October)

Elvis Presley released ‘Elvis’ Christmas Album’ which included 8 Christmas songs and 4 gospel songs. It reached number 1 in the US and number 2 in the UK charts.

1957 (15th October)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Santa Claus is Back in Town’. It was a hit in the US but did not make the charts as Christmas songs are not included in the regular charts. In the UK it reached number 41.

1957 (8th November)

Elvis Presley’s third film ‘Jailhouse Rock’ was released.

1957 (8th November)

An EP ‘Jailhouse Rock’ was released to coincide with the film release. It reached number 1

1957 (December)

Scotty Moore and Bill Black who had continued to support Elvis resigned because they felt they were underpaid.

1957 (20th December)

Elvis Presley received notification that he was to be conscripted into the US army (known as the draft). His service was deferred to allow him to finish filming ‘King Creole’.

1958 (7th January)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Don’t’. It reached number 1 in the US charts.

1958 (21st March)

Elvis Presley released the compilation album ‘Elvis’ Golden Records’. It reached number 3 in the US and number 2 in the UK charts.

1958 (24th March)

Elvis Presley was drafted into the US army as a private. His arrival at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas attracted hundreds of fans and media personnel.

1958 (7th April)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Wear My Ring Around Your Neck’. It reached number 2 in the US charts.

1958 (10th June)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Don’t Ask Me Why’. It reached number 1 in the US charts and number 2 in the UK.

1958 (2nd July)

The film ‘King Creole’ starring Elvis was released.

1958 (12th August)

Elvis Presley was given leave from the army to visit his mother who was dying.

1958 (14th August)

Elvis Presley’s mother died of heart failure.

1958 (19th September)

Elvis Presley released the soundtrack album ‘King Creole’. It reached number 2 in the US charts and number 1 in the UK.

1958 (1st October)

Elvis Presley was sent to Friedberg, Germany to join the 3rd Armoured Division.

1958 (Autumn)

Elvis was given amphetamines by his sergeant in Germany. He was so impressed by the effect that he continued to take them.

1958 (Autumn)

Elvis Presley met Priscilla Beaulieu in Friedberg.

1958 (21st October)

Elvis Presley released the double A-sided single ‘One Night’/’I Got Stung’. It reached number 4 in the US charts and number 1 in the UK.

1959 (6th February)

Elvis Presley released the compilation album ‘For LP Fans Only’. It reached number 19 in the US charts.

1959 (10th March)

Elvis Presley released the double A-sided single ‘I Need Your Love Tonight’/’A Fool Such as I’. It reached number 2 in the US charts and number 1 in the UK.

1959 (23rd June)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Big Hunk of Love’. It reached number 1 in the US charts and number 4 in the UK.

1959 (24th July)

Elvis Presley released the compilation album ‘A Date With Elvis’. It reached number 32 in the US charts.

1959 (13th November)

Elvis Presley released the compilation album ‘Elvis’ Gold Records Vol 2′ also known as ‘50,000,000 Fans Can’t Be Wrong’. It reached number 3 in the US and number 6 in the UK charts.

1960 (2nd March)

Elvis Presley returned to the United States from Germany and was discharged from the army.

1960 (23rd March)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Stuck on You’. It reached number 1 in the US charts.

1960 (8th April)

Elvis Presley released the album ‘Elvis is Back’. It reached number 2 in the US charts and number 1 in the UK.

1960 (12th May)

Presley appeared on the Frank Sinatra Timex Show. It was a special entitled ‘Welcome Home Elvis’.

1960 (5th July)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘It’s Now or Never’. It reached number 1 in the US and UK charts.

1960 (1st October)

Elvis Presley released the soundtrack album from his forthcoming film, ‘G.I. Blues’. It reached number 1 in the US and UK charts.

1960 (1st November)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’. It reached number 1 in the US and UK charts.

1960 (4th November)

The film G.I. Blues starring Elvis Presley, was released.

1960 (10th November)

Elvis Presley released the gospel album ‘His Hand In Mine’. It reached number 13 in the US charts and number 3 in the UK.

1960 (16th December)

The western film ‘Flaming Star’ starring Elvis Presley, was released.

1961 (February)

Elvis performed two shows in Memphis with proceeds going to a number of local charities.

1961 (February)

Elvis Presley released the EP ‘Elvis by Request’.

1961 (7th February)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘Surrender’. It reached number 1 in the US and UK.

1961 (25th March)

Elvis performed at a concert in Honolulu to raise funds for a memorial to commemorate the USS Arizona.

1961 (9th June)

The film ‘Wild in the Country’ starring Elvis Presley, was released.

1961 (17th June)

Elvis Presley released the album ‘Something for Everybody’. It reached number 1 in the US and number 2 in the UK charts.

1961 (8th August)

Elvis Presley released the single ‘(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame’. It reached number 4 in the US and number 1 in the UK.

1961 (1st October)

Elvis Presley released the double A-sided single ‘Rock-A-Hula Baby’/’Can’t Help Falling in Love’ from the film Blue Hawaii. It reached number 1 in the US and UK charts.

1961 (20th October)

Elvis Presley released the soundtrack album ‘Blue Hawaii’. It reached number 1 in the US and UK charts.

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